Do you like a good, meat-worthy, faith-building post–one that helps keep eyes on Jesus?

Meeeee too.

Several writer friends/Jesus girls kindly responded to a “popular post” question I posed recently. Many of their posts exclaim His strength, His healing, His hope.

And hope is one thing I read about this week in my own Bible time. I’ve been immersed in the Chronological Life Application Study Bible (NLT), settling among the gospels during Christmas. One thing I noticed about Jesus’ and John’s births is that our God doesn’t discriminate. And that’s hope.

He chose an older woman to birth John, a young, unmarried version for Jesus. And none of the facts relating to either pregnancy and subsequent birth made sense. Yet, in the grand scheme, the seemingly senseless facts created a perfect picture.

Our God accepts the young and the old, male and female. He refuses condemnation thanks to Jesus Christ–the hope of the world. What a gift!

It is my prayer that we enjoy Jesus not only in this Christmas season but throughout the year.

And the below links–some from 2018, others from previous years–rush to help us.

Their authors, some who shared their hearts in this Envy Round Table series last year plus a few other beautiful encouragers, keep ministry and Jesus central. And how beautiful stands a life–theirs, yours, and mine–when centered on Jesus Christ.

If I may set a challenge… Share several of these posts with friends. Grab the ones that grab you then pin ’em on Pinterest. Email or message them. Somehow, share them with the body of Christ or a “searcher.”

Bring a friend to the doors so they, too, can enter and eat of the fruit the Lord offers within.

May 2019 be our strongest year yet walking in faith. And as always, may God Almighty gather 100% of the glory.

Father, we are Yours.

As we celebrate Christmas soon then wave goodbye to 2018, let’s recap these popular posts:

Coming January 8th….

(And remember, by signing up, you’ll receive memory verses every 1st and 3rd Tuesday of the month as well as regular email updates, access to the Subscriber-Only libraray, and “3”, our monthly Family Newsletter.)

When God Doesn’t Answer Your Prayers the Way You Hoped

Welcome to today’s guest blogger, Crystal Storms. She’s a friend from my days in Florida. She’s a past guest here as well, and gosh, we love this girl. A hearty welcome to Crystal Storms.

Hope deferred makes the heart sick, but when longing is fulfilled, it is a tree of life. (Proverbs 13:12, WEB)

“It seems like God answers all your prayers.” I could see where her words were coming from. I had received some amazing blessings recently. But didn’t she also know my most requested prayer was left unanswered?

I’ve wanted a child for as long as I can remember. I turned coats into pretend babies I could snuggle. Browsed baby departments and imagined my life as a mother. Dreamt of the day when a baby would fill my womb.

As soon as Tim and I married, I prayed for God to bless our family with a child. Throughout the Bible I saw evidence that my prayers aligned with His will. His first command to mankind after blessing them was to “Be fruitful, multiply, fill the earth, and subdue it.” (Genesis 1:28b, WEB)

As the years passed, I read about heroes of the faith who received the blessing of children after long years of waiting.

Sarah and Abraham. Sarah conceived, and bore Abraham a son in his old age, at the set time of which God had spoken to him (Genesis 21:2, WEB).

Rebekah and Isaac. Isaac entreated Yahweh for his wife, because she was barren. Yahweh was entreated by him, and Rebekah his wife conceived (Genesis 25:21, WEB).

Hannah and Elkanah. When the time had come, Hannah conceived, and bore a son; and she named him Samuel, saying, “Because I have asked him of Yahweh” (1 Samuel 1:20, WEB).

Their stories encouraged me to keep praying, keep believing, keep holding onto hope. I continued to pray in faith for nearly two decades.

But the promises I read didn’t match the reality I lived.

Year after year … nothing. No two pink lines. Just more waiting.

The Bible says, hope deferred makes the heart sick. The word “sick” comes from the Hebrew word chalah which also translates as “grieved.”

Year after year a part of me grieved the loss of what I hoped would be. The dreams unfulfilled. A baby to hold in my arms.

Every month brought a reminder my womb was still empty. Every mother’s day brought a reminder that no one called me mother. And every birthday reminded me my window for having children was closing.

It hurt too much.

When I faced a milestone birthday, I prayed a new prayer. I asked God to either fulfill my desire or to take away the desire.

God answered that second prayer. A part of me still wants a child but not in the same way as before. I’ve come to trust His will for me. To see that His ways, while indeed different than mine, are still good.

God is still writing my story.

I don’t know what this next chapter will bring. But though things haven’t turned out how I imagined, I’ve learned my hope is not deferred.

When the promises you read don’t match the reality you live, remember God is still writing your story too. And even when things don’t turn out how you hoped, know that your hope is not in your circumstances. Hope is found in Christ alone.

About Crystal Storms~

With a heart to encourage, Crystal Storms helps women battle insecurity and find security in Christ. She is a Jesus girl, award-winning author, and artist. Married to her best friend for twenty-three years, Tim and Crystal live in Florida with their sweet Yorkie, Minnie. Learn more at CrystalStorms.me.